Defining Success: Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?

What will you leave behind: an inheritance or a legacy?

Two people stand out as supreme examples of success in our generation.

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates certainly made more money than anyone of us can ever realistically contemplate acquiring. They are paradigms of the entrepreneurial spirit. They reached the pinnacle of wealth, fame and prominence.

Both are men of tremendous achievement. Jobs gave us Apple, and Gates gave us Microsoft. Their brilliance was responsible for stunning technological breakthroughs that have literally changed the world.

While Jobs tragically passed away last year and Gates is thankfully still alive, we could surely assume that both will have earned lasting legacies that will make them be long remembered.

That's why I found it so incredible to learn what Malcolm Gladwell believes is in store for their memories. To be fair, Gladwell isn't a prophet and the future may very well prove him greatly mistaken. But it's certainly worth considering the views of this very influential author of The Tipping Point, Outliers and Blink, whose insights into cultural attitudes have made him a highly respected and influential analyst of contemporary society.

The future will remember tech giants more for what they gave back to society than for what they achieved in business.

As quoted in PC Magazine, Gladwell thinks that 50 years from now Steve Jobs will be no more than a minor footnote in the pages of history; Bill Gates, on the other hand, may well have statues erected in his honor in countries around the globe. The reason for the difference? Jobs was a business genius. He built a company like no other. He left us with incomparable products.

Gates went beyond that. He reached a time in life when making money and creating ever newer software wasn't as important as the charitable work he could do through his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. And ultimately that is what gains us the eternal gratitude of generations that follow us.

Gladwell succinctly summarizes it this way: “I believe the future will ultimately remember tech giants more for what they gave back to society than for what they achieved business-wise.”

Gladwell didn't use the Hebrew term tikun olam as his mantra for life's purpose. But Jews have long understood that playing a role in rectifying the world and making it a better place for all of mankind is our most important mission.

Success isn't defined by what we manage to get, but rather by what we are able to give.

And that's true even if we’re not in a position to start a foundation or to embark upon the kinds of projects that only a billionaire can tackle.

The Debt

A friend of mine, a prominent attorney, shared with me a personal story that inspired him to change his life. While he is financially very well-to-do, his parents were forced to struggle to make a decent livelihood all of their days. His father had a dual career, as rabbi and teacher, which provided him with the economic ability to barely survive. By the standards of our materialistic society which considers the question of "How much is he worth?” to be the same as to ask how much money a person has, one would have had to respond, "not very much."

A year after his father's death, my friend went to pay his respects at graveside and to offer prayers in his memory. To his great amazement, a stranger was standing at that very spot, weeping and praying. The man wasn't a relative or anyone he recognized.

"Although we've never met," the stranger told him, "I too am the rabbi's son. Not in a biological sense, of course. I didn't have that good fortune. But your father was my teacher - and he became my father as well. He cared about me as much as if I were his real son. He taught me Torah with a passion and clarity that no one else ever did. He made me a better person and I will always remember him with great gratitude. When he passed away I made a vow to annually visit and in the presence of his soul express the debt I owe to him."

I've made money, lots and lots of it, but my father made people.

"It was then," my friend confided to me, his eyes welling with tears, "that I wondered who other than those bound by familial obligations would come to my graveside after I'm gone to give thanks for what my life had meant to them. I've made money, lots and lots of it, but my father made people. And it was then that I decided that I would from that day forward commit a significant portion of my time and my funds to make a difference in the lives of others.

"The reason you know me as someone who is philanthropic and who serves a multitude of communal roles is because I decided I desperately want my life to be remembered not by way of leaving an inheritance but rather by leaving a legacy. Like my father, I want my worth to be judged by my values and not by my bank account."

The turning point in my friend’s life was the moment he wanted to be more like Gates than like Jobs. And whether we have sufficient funds to create a foundation or just the means to give a little bit back to the world into which we were born and from which we derive so much, the true test of our character is always how much we are willing to do to justify the divine gift of our lives.

One of the people I truly admire, a man who is neither rabbi nor teacher but rather a very successful businessman, has a card he hands out to everyone he meets that I find profoundly inspiring. On one side it reads," What on Earth are you doing for Heaven’s sake?" On the reverse side is his personal credo, "Helping others is the rent we pay to God for the right to live here on Earth."

We need to remember that legacies are created during our lifetimes. The key to achieving greatness is to be responsible for something that outlives us. Horace Mann put it beautifully when he said, "Be ashamed to die until you have achieved some victory for humanity." And the Torah commanded us to be concerned with tikun olam, improving the world, not merely as a way to fulfill our responsibility but more significantly as a means of finding immortality.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. Author of 14 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, his newest, The World From A Spiritual Perspective, is a collection of over 100 of his best Aish articles. See his website at www.benjaminblech.com.

Visitor Comments: 52

(36)
Tynoos Angelica,
December 6, 2012 7:03 AM

Bill Gates agenda not charity but eugenics

More thorough research of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation causes needed by the writer. Gates' agenda is world depopulation and he has openly expressed this on the TED talks. His vaccination/sterilization programs and multi-million dollar investments in Monsanto GMO seeds speak volumes about the true nature of his so-called philanthropy. Steve Jobs was a true maverick and pioneer. Gates is a very scary guy. Good points by the writer about charitable legacy being important, but horribly misinformed example of role model.

(35)
Sandra,
November 12, 2012 7:26 PM

More or Less

You can not compare Apple & Microsoft. Microsoft is a product line far beyond the 'singular' Apple model products. And Bill Gates is far beyond where Steve Jobs ever was. Steve Jobs was not a people person. He was an arrogant driven selfish product person. He may have put an an iProduct in every home, but people would work for Microsoft 100x over Apple. The Rabbi's point is well taken. It's not what you accomplish during life, it's what is left behind. Of course we haven't seen life after Gates yet, but I believe the Rabbi when he says that the legacy of Bill Gates will far and away over-shadow the legacy of Steve Jobs ... time will tell.

(34)
Anonymous,
October 30, 2012 6:31 PM

NEVER make any comments

(33)
G Brodie,
July 30, 2012 7:21 PM

There is more than one way to better society

In my heart I need to disagree with the point this article is trying to make. The contributions of Steve Jobs i.e. his genius, creativity and brilliant attention to the detail has impacted people all over the world and will continue to for a very long time and will not be forgotten in the same way that Shakespeare and Michelangelo have not been forgotten. On the other hand, how money has impacts lives is very different no matter its use.

Greg,
December 5, 2012 6:09 PM

Jobs??? Really???

Yes Steve Jobs was a genius but that is about it the thing is when Steve Jobs died i conducted a little experiment I asked well over 200 people over a week who Steve Jobs was less than 40 people knew who he was at the same time I asked all of the same people who Bill Gates was every last one of them knew him and what company he owned. Steve Jobs will be forgotten to be honest I had already forgotten him until I was reading this article.

(32)
Anonymous,
July 17, 2012 4:24 AM

One cannot ignore Rabbi Blech's message

I think most coments fail to understand Rabbi Blech's point.
Greatness is not resrved only for those who cannot be charged with an indiscretion or vice. Just close your eyes and listen to what the rabbi is saying! And who said that a scoundral can't become a hero?

(31)
Mike,
June 29, 2012 1:48 AM

Not totally accurate

Lets not pass judgement so quickly. Bill Gates has given a lot of money, but he is no angel. Not only did he purchase DOS at a bargain price, he stole his idea for windows directly from Apple. Furthermore, no one remembers Edison, Tesla, Einstein, Newton Picasso or DeVinci because they gave a lot to charity. They are remembered for their genius, art and ideas.

Piyush,
July 11, 2012 11:18 PM

ill-informed

>> "he stole his idea for windows directly from Apple"
Which in turn had stolen the idea from Xerox?
That was/is the biggest problem with Steve Jobs and Apple. Apple wanted to steal everything good from others, but didn't want others to steal something from them :).

(30)
Bob,
June 28, 2012 6:25 AM

I choose neither

Bill Gates is a poor example of a person to want to emulate -- if you have concern for Torah values.
Bill Gates does not believe there is such a thing as a human soul. He stated ''No, I don't have any proof that it (the soul) exists nor have I seen any evidence that might incline me to believe so.''
It can be easy to be fooled. Oh, this guy gives away his fortune to the needy. Come on. Don't give your respect so easy. It is far beyond the scope of this post (especially when it might erased) but he receives financial benefit from his giving. More importantly, the vaccines he pays in many cases sterilize the recipient. He supports population control.
He is also on the record of being in favor of killing your grandmother should it be between her life and some teachers job. ''See, I can't say this because ''I'm in favor of death panels'' but if is between prolonging the life of grandma or keeping three teachers employed with the same money, my choice is clear.''

Tynoos Angelica,
December 6, 2012 7:16 AM

Good for you, continue to speak the truth

I am amazed at the abysmal ignorance of people about Bill Gates. Thanks for trying to inform the uninformed.

(29)
Ace,
June 26, 2012 5:55 PM

A poor example to support the thesis

I think we all understand the point that the author is making. However, the example to support the idea has been poorly chosed. It is just not objective to relegate a person like Steve Jobs to a "footnote". It is a person who has, if not revolutioinized, much changed the way we have our everyday lives. It is a person who has introduced a Personal Copmutor to the world, a person who has changed the way we treat music, and laid foundation for a new development in the computor industry, just for example, in the form of the tablet. On the other hand, Bill Gates is not the only one who donates to charity, especially considering his riches, so why aren't others mentioned either? I guess this is just a case of poorly chosen example to support the message. No offence meant, Rabbi.)

nir,
June 27, 2012 12:16 PM

just a man

Anybody remembers the founder of IBM? The guy who invented internal combustion engines? That sure was an innovation. It won't even take 50 years to relegate Jobs to a footnote.
Catchy and apt title, beautifully written relevant article. Thank you

(28)
Just A Man,
June 24, 2012 2:46 AM

What a farce

Steve Jobs was an extraordinary man. He was a true innovator. He worked hard to create useful tools that others might create even more. Along the way, he made a lot of money.
Gates created nothing. He purchased the Disk Operating System (DOS) for a pittance from the author who was down on his luck, and through conniving, required every PC maker to purchase his operating system.
A dollar legitimately earned and donated, is worth more than a billion ill-gotten given to charity.

Rob,
June 26, 2012 12:54 PM

Missing the point?

Perhaps you are missing the point? Both have either created things personally or oversaw creation of technology and creation of wealth for shareholders. Both were accomplished business leaders with different personalities, skills, and experiences. One could argue that Gates was either more shrewd or more lucky. But in the end, none of any of that matters. Both were philanthropic, and the extent of Jobs ' philanthropy may never be publicly known if he did much anonymously. All we can say is that we know a lot about what Gates gave and that we know less about what Jobs gave. It is impossible and useless to speculate on what either didn't give.

(27)
Shlomo,
June 23, 2012 12:27 AM

Steve Jobs

This is a sidenote more than anything, but most most people don't know that Steve Jobs was a philanthropist too- not in the major way Bill Gates was, but nevertheless... he donated thousands to hospitals towards the later years of his life, and also famously included a red iPod embroidered with the [Project Red] icon.

(26)
Binyomin Edelstone,
June 22, 2012 7:38 PM

Harvard Business Review made same observations

In this article from last November: http://www.businessweek.com/management/idolize-bill-gates-not-steve-jobs-11012011.html

(25)
Anonymous,
June 22, 2012 2:58 PM

the highest form of tzedakah

Perhaps, unlike Gates, Jobs preferred to keep his charitable activities anonymous and not waste resources on "statues" and other temporal tributes

(24)
Malka Juravel Schulman,
June 21, 2012 12:05 AM

I'd like to add a favorite extension to Horace Mann's comment of: "Be ashamed to die until you have achieved some victory for humanity"; "Kan ovdim mai'alos hashachar ad tsais haneshamah" (translated as: Here we toil from dawn until the soul departs).
Many subtle and private personal victories take place, that cause and create great world shifts. L'chaim!

(23)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2012 11:52 AM

Dollars and sense...

There are two things that define the value of money. The first is what you do to get it. The second is what you do with it when you have it. Otherwise, money itself is valueless.

Rafi Schutzer,
June 21, 2012 2:48 AM

I thought money was . . .

"Surplus Value" or a condensed form of labor extracted and stolen from the worker.
That's what Karl Marx defined it as anyway . . .
That's what motivates our current neo-Nixonian administration (i.e., Holder and Barak Milhouse Obama) .
So money

(22)
Benjamin,
June 20, 2012 10:55 AM

I can't see that either of these men provided examples worth emulating. Both dedicated their lives to getting as much wealth as possible. Will God be pleased by that? I don't know, but I can tell you that I could not live my life like that and feel right before God. There are probably 10 or 15 Grandmas in my city that are more Godly than I will ever be...living out humble righteous loving lives. They are MY heroes!

(21)
Timestein,
June 20, 2012 8:34 AM

From the Middle (of the) Class

If you're like me you're too busy making ends meet, paying your taxes, meeting family obligations, and just trying to get by and have some fun on the way.
Worrying about your "legacy" is a rich mans game. Still the sentiment expressed in this article is appreciated.

(20)
Rafi Schutzer,
June 20, 2012 6:54 AM

Nice idea but a misunderstanding of the real "Jobs equation"

Clearly, Steve Jobs was a different kind of billionaire in comparison to Bill Gates. He was not driven to simply make a lot of money. He was an artist, a creative visionary and above all, a politically incorrect genius (the last one might just be me projecting). Do we really need to focus on Bill Gates' philanthropic fig leaf?
Bill Gates' sheer megalomaniacal drive is what motivates his ostensible philanthropy, the same blind drive that created Microsoft. Even if Gates lives to be 120, he will never be able to equal the legacy of Steve's short life. Jobs' story of bootstrapping himself and Apple, the learning experience of being dethroned from Apple, contributing greatly to the invention of digital cinema, victoriously returning to Apple, revolutionizing computing a second time with the iPod/iPhone and also revolutionizing the world's music distribution business (and more) is so much more compelling than that of Gates' drive for the cash that the thesis of this article comes off as little more than a contrivance.
Suggested reading: "Steve Jobs" By Walter Isaacson.

(19)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2012 4:16 AM

WHO ARE YOU?

Who are you or anyone else to judge whether someone is worthy to remembered. As i grew up i was taught that when one gives tzedaka a true person DOES NOT ANNOUNCE IT. One does it quietly with no fanfare. How do you or anyone know what Steve Jobs did or didn't donate and what is it any of your business? Yes, you see Bill Gates donating....wow lets get some publicity for it shall we? Who is to say if he gave more or less than Steve Jobs? And then,what does it matter who, gave more or less? I do know that Gates gave a considerable amount to african groups for aids medication. Thats nice don't you think? I have lived in Africa and know the culture. Giving money for aids medications may be nice, BUT if you don't stop the people from having sex with anyone and everyone both as a single or while married to one person and having affairs (although that is not what they call them there) with others, the aids will not stop. Money wasted. But who am i to judge. He can give to whomever he wishes. But in the meantime stop admiring him just because you assume he is the better of the two. Personally i feel that your take on the two men is disgusting.

(18)
Margeret Dombrowsky,
June 19, 2012 12:46 AM

These are good thoughts.

(17)
michael ande,
June 18, 2012 12:44 PM

that is the whole essence of man living on planet earth to help fellow human being to bring God closer to man.

if u help your fellow human being you are bringing God closer to man let them see God through you.

Unlisted,
June 18, 2012 1:54 PM

Backwards

You have it backwards. It's to bring man closer to G-d! And for a Jew, the way we do that is by following the 613 mitzvot that G-d gave us in his owner's manual, a/k/a Torah.

ZG,
June 19, 2012 3:12 PM

Both

Actually what both of you is saying is the Jewish mission. We must elevate as well as draw down holiness into the world. We must make the world a more G-dly place as well as being Heaven down to Earth.

(16)
Anonymous,
June 18, 2012 12:16 PM

WYSIWYG

I would like to say that in the developers history books, Bill Gates will be written up as someone who stole the idea of wysiwyg without accrediting it and, in the history books of design, he will be remembered as a megalomaniac who needed the competition from Apple to steer him towards charitable actions (which will endear him to anyone).

Tuvia Dovid,
June 18, 2012 5:39 PM

Melinda Gates, not Apple, provided the direction to charity

Bill Gates grew up in a prominent, civic-minded home and should have needed no outside impetus toward charity. Both of his parents have served on the University of Washington Board of Regents, and his father is currently honorary chair of the World Justice Project. However, it was his wife, Melinda French Gates, an ardent Catholic, who more than anyone else or any other factor turned his attention from empire building to tikun olam. By any standard of fairness or historical accuracy, she deserves equal recognition on any statues and other honors that recognize their charitable works.

Ari,
June 18, 2012 7:30 PM

Close to the truth (Re: WYSIWYG)

The word you were looking for wasn't WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get), but rather the GUI. Bill Gates attained his mega wealth not through creativity but rather through stealing other people's work. First with his knock-off DOS, and then (among other dirty business moves) through the GUI stolen from Apple's Macintosh. Microsoft apologists will claim Apple took the latter from Xerox, but Apple compensated Xerox for the opportunity to tour Xerox's research facility and then bring its ideas to a mass market. Microsoft did not do the same. One can argue that Gates has spent the last ten years at philanthropy in an attempt to compensate for the lives and he ruined and fortunes he stole from other corporations' technology.
While the analysis of the two men featured in this article is a very attractive one, as many of us point out it is facile and naive. Jobs may not have left a philanthropic legacy like the one Gates has made for himself. In truth, Jobs was a jerk to many people and made bad choices in his life despite his brilliance. But we must also remember that Jobs built and then resurrected from near bankruptcy Apple Inc, and brought forth new technological revolutions that have made it the most valuable and arguably most undervalued corporation in the world currently. Apple stock has enriched and will continue to enrich the lives of millions of investors. His iDevice revolution has changed the world markedly, and I contend obviously for the better. And Jobs' leadership of Pixar made films that will continue bring joys to untold millions into the future.
I hope Gates will continue to do good things for the world through his philanthropy, but to claim Gates may be a giant of history and Jobs a footnote belies an ignorance and a hubris of false prophecy that I would caution against. While I understand where the rabbi (and Aish) is coming from, I think it makes sense to gain greater perspective before echoing such a comparison.

Anonymous,
June 20, 2012 4:19 AM

BRAVO

(15)
Kat,
June 18, 2012 4:16 AM

Quite an assumption

Mr. Gladwell makes a huge assumption about Steve Jobs without knowing whether he made charitable contributions anonymously. Bill Gates &
Steve Jobs approached business differently. Is it not also fair to consider that this applies to their charitable styles as well? To relegate Steve Jobs to a " footnote" is unkind to say the least. The Gates Foundation & others do important work. Equally important are those who give & wish to remain anonymous.

Ethan,
June 18, 2012 9:07 PM

Steve Jobs wasn't a charitable guy.

He ran a company that remotely broke phones that have been modified to work with carriers other than AT&T or to run Microsoft Office, forced some employees to work weekends and holidays without being allowed to tell their families, drove one employee to literally kill himself over a possible leaked iPhone prototype, was investigated for anti-competitive practices by the FCC, and has been repeatedly accused of hiding malware in downloads.
Let me quote one of his ideas- "Apple can further determine whether a user pays attention to the advertisement. The determination can include performing, while the advertisement is presented, an operation that urges the user to respond; and detecting whether the user responds to the performed operation. If the response is inappropriate or nonexistent, the system will go into lock down mode in some form or other until the user complies. In the case of an iPod, the sound could be disconnected rendering it useless until compliance is met. For the iPhone, no calls will be able to be made or received."
Is that where Jobs really saw his product line going? A future where cheap, malware and prime-time TV-ad-riddled devices flood the market? He wasn't anything more than a corrupt, anti-competitive businessman.

(14)
Richard Peter White,
June 18, 2012 3:03 AM

Helping those who need help

there are many ways on can help if one doesn't have lots of cash, one way I do it is by talking to people even when they have things over the ears after a while they remove their head gear and we converse with one another and when they are about to leave the vehicle that we are traverling on they allways want to shake my hand, one reason I do this is because they are mad in Adonia image and if we remember this we will get on well with our neighbor no matter where they live, it is good when someone who has wealth that they share it but Love is the best blessing there is spread it around.

(13)
Shirley,
June 18, 2012 12:11 AM

true, but not so true!!

If Steve Jobs were devoting his life to finding (and if he would have found) a cure for some dreaded disease--perhaps Cancer, would he be more revered than Bill Gates?
Remember, Steve Jobs was dying. He did not continue because he needed/wanted the money.
Bill Gates is a respectable man. Steve Jobs hit more bumps in the road than Bill Gates.
This reminds me of Good Will Hunting. He had the potential to contribute to mankind. He chose to live a private life. Do you dare to judge him?
What about the Peace Corps from different countries around the world? They help the women in Third World countries who do not practice birth control. The women bear multiple children, many of whom die young due to lack of medicine and medical knowledge. So Western countries give them medicine and medical knowledge. Now their children all live, and the women are burdened with so many children to support and take care of. So Western countries teach them birth control.................and now the husbands are outraged!
So YOU JUDGE: What's the answer? Who is right? I don't have an answer!

(12)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2012 11:40 PM

This is a beautiful stoty. It is one I truly elieve in and am truing to teach my grandchildren--both by my volunteerism & by my giving.

(11)
Kathy,
June 17, 2012 8:45 PM

Jobs really helped me

I have crippling arthritis in my hands. I really can't use a regular keyboard anymore; but I can use my IPad, thanks to Jobs' genius. Jobs did not have the people skills/compassion of Bill Gates, but he deserves credit, and lots of it, for making the Internet more accessible for those with arthritis.

(10)
F Callen,
June 17, 2012 7:09 PM

If you believe in vaccination, Bill Gates is a god

As for IT, Gates is "style over substance" in contrast to Jobs' "form follows function". Microsoft products, while aping Apple, only do so superficially and leave users to compensate - expensively - for the inadequacies of the product. Apple products compensate for the inadequacies of the user - which is what every good product should do.

(9)
Aviva,
June 17, 2012 6:40 PM

A true humanitarian!

The Rabbis thoughts brought tears, yes a Mitzvah every day for all Jews, and for Bill Gates & those Christians like him, blessings.These people truly believe in " paying it forward". Shalom, A

(8)
Steve,
June 17, 2012 6:34 PM

Charity (cont)

Or to put it another way - it's not how much you have to give, but what you do with what you do have to give.

(7)
Steve,
June 17, 2012 6:29 PM

Charity

Daniel - I think you have misread Rabbi Blech's message totally. I think what he is saying is precisely that it matters not how much or how little money you have to give/do with, its not about what you have, but how you use whatever it is that you do have. A man poor in finances can still give much to the world if he acts in a way that shows proper midos and and love/fear of G-d.

(6)
Margarita,
June 17, 2012 6:20 PM

great article !!! congratulations

(5)
daniel,
June 17, 2012 5:08 PM

wow

WOW WOW that's all i can say to the point it changed my perspective in life thank you very much for this great article

(4)
Keith Trantow,
June 17, 2012 3:32 PM

Concern, compassion and generosity are far more valuable this an enormous bank account.

Oner again, Malcolm Gladwell offers a message that ought to be read -- and acted upon -- by all of us.

(3)
Ben,
June 17, 2012 2:58 PM

Not a fair comparison

Gladwell takes a lot of liberty with his pronouncement. Without having any criticism of the Gates Foundation, they do great work, those who understand tech and the contributions of both of these men to our everyday life, the work of the two are not comparable. Microsoft created wealth by clever sales techniques while Apple literally changed the way we live life. That is how things will be remembered.

(2)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2012 2:17 PM

Enough about Tikun Olam

The phrase Tikun Olam has been bantered about by almost every conservative and reform rabbi that i have heard speaking. It is the religion for those who do not have religion. Thus when Rabbi Bleich says that Bill Gates does not have the mitzvah of Tikun Olam, he implies that were he Jewish he would be fulfilling that mitzvah by his contributions. Tikun Olam as expressed in thedaily prayer is the elevation of the world by the recognition of G-d and the glorification of His name. It is a spiritual endeavor, that has been subverted by those who wish to do humanitarian good instead of performing actual commandments. l have nothing against Bill Gates giving charity or Rabbi Blech applauding him for the same. My contention is that labeling that Tikun Olam is contributing to the false notion liberally (pun intended) publicized by those who seek a replacement for genuine Judaism and it distorts the original and correct meaning of the phrase.

ר,
June 17, 2012 9:05 PM

Tikun Olam more correctly defined

Thank you for the clear explanation. Also to my taste, the whole article would have been more laudable if it hadn't been tainted by this very fashionable misuse of the term"Tikun Olam." May we nonetheless use this article to be inspired to find the right way to glorify G-d's name while emulating His kindness, concern, benevolence, patience, etc. demonstrating that doing His will, fulfilling His mitzvos, makes us better people, even if we don't have millions of dollars to toss around.

unlisted,
June 17, 2012 10:00 PM

Right on the money (pun intended)

Yes! "Tikkun Olam" is the most misused phrase in non-Torah Judaism!

(1)
Daniel,
June 17, 2012 1:49 PM

Charity

I think that the vision of this writer is only about how much money can a person donate. Forget about the product he created and how many life's they change.
It's only about money. That's really sad... I'm sure that Beethoven and Picasso are also a foot note because they did not open a foundation and donated a lot o money...

Please reread,
June 18, 2012 3:08 AM

You did not read carefully

Did you totally miss the part about the lawyer who decided to become a philanthropist after he realized how much his father, a financially poor rabbi and teacher positively affected people's lives? The rabbi in that story was not wealthy, but made a tremendous difference. Clearly if you read that part you would not think the author's message is that one needs to donate lots of money to help people and leave a beautiful legacy.

Anonymous,
June 20, 2012 4:28 AM

RE: you did not read carefully

I think you missed the point yourself. If he was not comparing Gates who rarely if ever had a genuine idea of his own to Jobs who was a brilliant business man and brought so much technology that has not only changed the way people handle their business but helped many individuals who have physical and emotional obstacles to overcome. Then he goes on about how Gates had donated so much and how he will be remembered more than Jobs. As i said before,who does this person think he is to even make such a statement and have it printed anywhere with any credibility. Unless he is G-d he should not judge what someone else does in that matter or what he perceives that either has actually done.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...